


Diving To New Depths

by Jess4400



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Basically me hyping about scuba through these two dorks because I just got my certification, Connie's secretly a weeb for marine life but she won't admit it, Connieswap, Scuba Diving, Steven likes looking at the coral and starfish mostly, Throw some head canons at me I'm ready
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-17 01:46:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11265408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jess4400/pseuds/Jess4400
Summary: *Set in the ConnieSwap Universe but not affiliated with it*Steven convinces Connie to learn how to scuba dive with him.





	1. Steven's Powers of Persuasion and the Mahaswaren Puppy Dog Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Connie Swap Omake Collection](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10673391) by [BinaryGeek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BinaryGeek/pseuds/BinaryGeek), [br42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/br42/pseuds/br42), [BurdenKing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurdenKing/pseuds/BurdenKing), [citrusella](https://archiveofourown.org/users/citrusella/pseuds/citrusella), [CoreyWW](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoreyWW/pseuds/CoreyWW), [Cyberwraith9](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyberwraith9/pseuds/Cyberwraith9), [Japkot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Japkot/pseuds/Japkot), [leo60228](https://archiveofourown.org/users/leo60228/pseuds/leo60228), [MjStudioArts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MjStudioArts/pseuds/MjStudioArts), [MK_Foodshops](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MK_Foodshops/pseuds/MK_Foodshops), [SilverScribe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverScribe/pseuds/SilverScribe), [Wierdkid20](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wierdkid20/pseuds/Wierdkid20). 



> Okay, hear me out...  
> They live on a beach right? So scuba isn't totally out there!  
> Ehhh.  
> It's a hobby not too many people are into. I accept that. *shrug*
> 
> Vocabulary for later chapters  
> Buoyancy- the ability or tendency to float in water  
> BCD- Buoyancy Control Device/Buoyancy Compensator Device (Potato, poTAto) a cute little vest (hah) that allows the diver to either inflate it or deflate it to remain buoyant underwater.  
> Regulator- The mouthpiece thingamabob you breath out of. It's connected to the tank. There are two. One normal (primary), and one for emergencies. The primary one is black and the emergency one (alternate) is yellow.  
> Tank/cylinder- Air tank that attaches to the BCD and regulators via hoses. Allows the diver to breathe underwater and inflate the BCD.  
> Mask- To see underwater (probably a 'duh' one hehe)  
> Snorkel- To breathe underwater at the surface.
> 
> Note- Don't take these descriptions too seriously. Google any terms if you want a real definition or pictures. Hehe. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, even if you don't like scuba. Thank you for reading!

Steven and Connie sat on the beach, the former trying to convince his friend to try scuba diving, and the latter refusing with a shake of her head.

“Come ooooooon,” Steven whined, giving Connie his best pouty face, “It would be so much fun!”

“While I don’t doubt that it would be,” she sighed, “I know Peridot would never let me try something like that. She’d come up with diagrams and schematics about the one in a million chance that I’d run out of air or something and die. Then I’m in for an hour lecture. Do you want to put me through that, Steven?”

Steven pouted, and then snapped his fingers. “Wait! You’ve got cool alien lungs! Remember that one time at the pool? You held your breath for five minutes! That’s plenty of time to do an emergency ascent to the surface!” Connie looked at him skeptically. Steven grinned in response. 

“Plus, you'd be diving with a _dive master!_ You’d learn how to signal **_out of air_** _,”_ Steven made a cutting motion across his neck, “And he would give you his alternate air source. You would never even have to do an emergency ascent, as long as you follow the protocol. It’s totally safe.”

“You’re sure?” Connie asked.

“Definitely. The dive masters don’t let people go diving if they don't know what they’re doing. That can get them sued. And nobody wants that.”

Connie laughed and rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m up for giving it a try, as long as _you’re_ the one convincing Peridot. The other two probably won’t care. I wish you luck.” She mock saluted him.

Steven gave her a huge grin and ran to her house, nearly bursting down the door with his excited knocking. Connie made her way back as well, albeit slowly, to give Steven enough time to warm up Peridot. She sat in the rocking chair on the porch and waited for Steven to return to tell her if their mission was a success or not.

 

* * *

 

Disturbed by all the knocking, A slim blue gem closed her comic book and made her way to the door. She took one look at Steven’s wide smile and snickered.

“Pinky Pie! Okay, what’s tumbled your rocks? Did you finally ask Connie out?”

Steven grinned, so excited about the prospect of his best friend learning how to dive with him that he didn’t fully register the water witch’s cheeky words.

“Yeah! She wants to try it. I need to ask Peridot first, though. Connie says she will probably say no, but that you and Jasper wouldn’t care.”

Lapis, expecting a blush and a stutter from hammy kid, snorted at this revelation.

“Sounds about right. Let me know when the wedding is. Congrats dude!”

“Huh?”

Connie, overhearing this conversation ten feet away, face palmed, her cheeks burning a bight red. She dragged Steven in the house to save him from anymore teasing and glared at Lapis. Lapis shrugged and closed the door behind them. She yelled into the kitchen.

“Yo Peri! Steven wants to ask for your blessing! Come in here!” Steven’s face became the same shade as Connie’s as he finally realized what Lapis was implying.

Connie shrieked, “No, he most certainly does not! 

“Yeah! I just wanted to know if Connie could come to a scuba diving class with me!”

Peridot graced them with her presence, barely looking up from her tablet as she plopped on the couch.

“Scuba diving?” She inquired, “As in the underwater human sport?” Steven's face lit up and his blush started to go away.

“Yeah! I mean, I’ve already done lessons one and two, so she’d have to catch up on the bookwork for that, but I know she can do it super fast. She could do the pool work with me, and then lessons three and four, and then we could do our four dives and get certified!” He rambled.

“Is it safe?” Peridot pressed. Steven, already prepared for this question, explained all the safety measures that scuba divers had to take to even set foot in the water. Steven, Connie, and Lapis stared at Peridot, waiting for her probable rejection.

“I approve,” she said deftly, drumming her fingers together.

“What?!” All three looked at her like she had two heads.

“Peri, you of all gems, are willing to let Connie go countless feet under the ocean with only a tank of air to survive sharks, sea urchins, and skin pruning? Are you crazy?!” Lapis asked, shocked.

“I believe it will be a good skill to learn. Connie can’t breathe underwater or in space like us, so her learning how to use assistive devices and skills now will only serve to help us in further missions.” Lapis tried to argue against Peridot’s decision. Jasper heard the commotion from the other room and decided to add her own two cents.

“I also don’t think she should do it.” She glared at Lapis from her chair in the kitchen and hissed, “The ocean is a dangerous place, filled with dangerous _things_.”

Lapis, detecting the shade, huffed, crossed her arms, and walked away.

“Whatever dudes, I don’t care… Just, if you do go,” she gave Connie a pleading look, “Please be careful.”

Connie nodded with a low “Yes ma’am,” and turned to the remaining family member she had to convince. Jasper took one look at Connie and sighed. She was giving the infamous Mahaswaren Puppy Dog Eyes.™

“I can’t say no to that face.”

Connie and Steven whooped and high-fived. 

“On these conditions.” The kids’ enthusiasm deflated a little, but they nodded politely.

“One: You are to stay with your instructor the entire time. Two: You follow all of his or her rules. Three: Don’t cause trouble. Four: Be safe. If you break any of these rules, you’ll be answering to me. Are we clear?”

“Yes ma’am!” The pair exclaimed. Jasper smirked and took a seat next to Peridot. 

“Alright. Connie’s friend, you can have your caregiver give me the information about signing up for the classes and I will take care of the rest.”

“Thank you so much!” Steven ran to give her a hug, which she responded by going stiff as a piece of wood. Jasper looked incredulously at Connie, who responded with a shrug and a smile. Connie took that time to say thank you as well. As soon as Steven broke away from the one sided hug, the duo was off to inform Greg and Mary about their successful mission.

 

 

 


	2. Introductions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marie is an oc that is not canon in the Connieswap-verse! I remember reading an omake that mentioned Steven's interpreter, but his/her (can't remember) name was never revealed. So I made someone up! Hope that's okay :o
> 
> P.S. Guys I got my open water diver certification card in the mail and my eyes are closed. I can't even..  
> http://thatpurplemaskedchick.tumblr.com/post/162252947650/so-i-got-my-card-in-the-mail-the-other-day

Once the duo informed Greg of Connie’s participation, he sent off the necessary documents to Jasper. She returned them the next day via Connie. They were a little crumpled, but still readable. Greg shrugged and sent them to the dive shop. He received Connie’s textbook and had Steven run it over to her immediately so she could start reading. She breezed through chapters one and two in an impressive 45 minutes. She took her two mini-quizzes and aced them.

Now came the pool work, which she was dreading. The book described all of the different tasks she would have to perform in front of the instructors. They sounded intimidating. Swimming test? Putting her equipment together by herself? Taking off her mask and putting it back on underwater? She was nervous to say the least, but she was determined to get her certification. Steven told her yesterday about the cool shipwreck dive site about 30 minutes from where they live and _goshdangit,_ _she was going to dive it no matter what_.

Connie and Steven piled into Greg’s Dondai around 9:00 A.M. Mary decided not to go because she had Buck’s guitar lesson to attend to. Greg and a 20-something-year-old who Connie had never seen before were already in the car. They greeted the children, ignoring Connie’s confused face. Connie buckled her seatbelt and stealthily signed ‘Who?’ to Steven when the lady wasn’t looking.

Steven’s mouth formed an ‘o’ shape as he realized he had forgotten to introduce the new person.

“Oh! Right! This is Marie,” he said, gesturing to the woman. “She’s my interpreter from school. She’s coming with us for the pool stuff since I can’t use my hearing aids in the water. Marie, this is my best friend Connie!”

Connie shyly waved at Marie, who smiled and waved back. 

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Connie. Steven talks about you _all_ the time.”

Steven gasped and turned slightly red. “I do not!”

“Yeah, okay. If you say so,” she responded, throwing a handful of trail mix in her mouth. Steven crossed his arms and stage whispered to a flustered Connie behind his hand.

“Ignore her. She likes to tease me and by extension, you. I’ve mentioned you like, three times. She’s told me about her cat twenty more times than that. Jokes on her.” Marie whipped around to face them from the front seat and pointed a stern finger at Steven.

“Okay, but Sir Oreo is the cutest cat ever. You have to admit it.”

“Lion and I have to disagree with you on that.”

“Unbelievable.”

“Now, now, children, there’s no need to fight.” Greg tutted with a smile. He started the ignition and pulled out of the driveway.

Connie giggled at their antics, already feeling more at ease. She decided to join the conversation as they headed down the road.

“So how did you get her to come with us? It’s summer; Isn’t she off?”

Steven grinned. “Yeah, but I may or may not have bribed her with the promise of pizza after this is over.”

Marie nodded. “Yup. Princivelli’s pizza. You can only get it in Bay City, which is where we’re going. It’s the best pizza in the entire world.”

“Wow,” Connie said. “I can’t wait to try it. The Gems don’t usually let me eat pizza.”

“You’ll love it!” Marie gushed, totally ignoring the Gem part. The trio talked about other silly things for a few minutes until Marie’s phone pinged several times in a row.

“Sorry, gotta take this. My boyfriend accidentally ran over our mailbox. He’s panicking, so I gotta tell him what to do,” she explained with an eye-roll.

Connie and Steven, having nothing else to do, decided to play Minetrack together on their phones to pass the time. They ended up building a pretty impressive castle, equipped with the best mobs to defend it. Steven added a pig inside the castle to be his animal companion. Connie chose a bat, ‘because they're cool. Also, echolocation powers.’ As the two ventured out of the village to find food for themselves and their animal sidekicks, they noticed that Greg was pulling into a parking spot at the YMCA. The two quickly saved and quit their game.

“Alrighty kiddos, we’re here!” Greg announced. Everyone got out and stretched their legs, groaning and moaning dramatically.

The four headed inside. The smell of chlorine greeted them instantly. Steven made a face, which made Connie laugh. A nice lady at the front desk signed them in and directed them to the pool. When they got there, all of the equipment was already laid out next to the pool ladder. 

Connie took a deep breath. She was already overwhelmed. She stared at the complicated gear and tried to remember how the book said to put it together. Nothing was coming to mind. What if she messed up in front of all these strangers? That would be so embarrassing; She’d never let herself live it down! Steven noticed her tension and squeezed her hand gently.

“Hey, you’re gonna do great. It’s probably me they have to worry about anyway… I totally speed-read chapter two because it was so boring. I’m not going to know how to put this stuff together either. I’m sure he’ll explain it again,” Steven said confidently. “We’re in this together. Dive five?” He asked, holding up a hand.

“Dive five,” she repeated, giggling and giving his hand a slap. Steven shook off his hand in mild pain and laughed. 

Finally, the instructor presented himself to the group. Greg introduced them all and the instructor shook each of their hands. 

“Good morning everyone! My name is Mr. Gunner and I will be your dive master today. There are only a few more students that have to show up, and then we will start. For the time being, you can go change into your suits over there in the changing room. He pointed to the doors on the opposite side of the room. The kids and Marie turned to head that way, but were quickly interrupted Mr. Gunner.

“Wait,” he said as he noticed Steven’s hearing aids. “I don’t think this is such a good idea. Will he even be able to hear me?” He directed the question at Greg, but Steven answered, annoyed.

“I’m right here, you know. But no. That’s why I have the lovely Marie,” he gestured with jazz hands in her direction, “to interpret for me. Is that alright?”

The dive master sighed and shrugged. “I suppose so, but how will we communicate with each other underwater?”

Steven scrunched his nose. “I don’t know. How do you understand anyone else underwater? I have quite a few hearing friends, and they’ve given me the impression that they can’t hear or talk underwater either.”

Connie snorted and covered her mouth to stifle her giggles. The adults just looked at each other, rolling their eyes at Steven’s sass.

“Ah, well, yes and no,” the dive master said, embarrassed. “We can hear underwater, but sound gets distorted easily. That’s why we use hand signals…” He trailed off.

“I guess the reason I’m asking is because sometimes, I'll tap the back of my tank to make noise to get a student’s attention. As long as you pay attention, I shouldn’t have to do that. If you slack off, I guess I can get your friend here to go get you and set you straight.” He chuckled and pointed to Connie. Connie smiled deviously and nodded. Mr. Gunner turned back to Steven.

“Anyway, sorry if I sounded insensitive. Just wanna make sure you have everything you need to learn. I’ll let you guys go change now. Meet me back here when you're done!”

Connie, Steven, and Marie went to the changing rooms and put on their suits. When they got back, they noticed that the rest of the people had already arrived and were in the water. There were only about six other people, but it was enough to make Connie self-conscious. She was glad she remembered to bring a swim shirt so that her gem wouldn’t show. She sucked in a breath and jumped in. This was going to be a _long_ day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Silly notes:
> 
> \- Sir Oreo is a mix of my friend's cats names, Sir Prince, and Oreo. I thought they were cute names. *shrugs*  
> \- Princivelli’s pizza used to be a really good pizza place in the town next to mine.  
> \- “Sorry, gotta take this. My boyfriend accidentally ran over our mailbox. He’s panicking, so I gotta tell him what to do,” Tag yourself, I'm the boyfriend.  
> \- Dive Five? Dive Five. ≈ Jam buds? Jam buds. ≈ Okay? Oka-NO.  
> \- Mr. Gunner? Totally made that name up. Don't even know if that's a real last name.  
> \- Thank Citrusella for the 'Dive Master being ignorant and slightly silly' part xD They showed me a comic in the comments that made me laugh. I didn't want to copy it exactly, so I made it a little different. Credits to that comic illustrator! I think his blog is "ThatDeafGuy." Go check him out!  
> \- About the tapping the tank thing- I've known some dive masters who do that. My last one just clapped his hand over his fist and somehow made a really loud noise. I still have no idea how he did it. :o  
> Thank you for reading!


	3. Pool Work and Zumba

“Alright! Good morning everyone! First, we’re going to assemble our equipment. Put your BCDs in the water and let them soak for a minute. Then, put them on to your tank like this. Secure the clamp and give it a lift to make sure it’s snug.” He demonstrated the correct way and everyone mimicked him.

“Good! Now, take off the valve cap and connect your regulators and air hose like this.” The dive instructor then explained the rest of the process in detail.

Steven, bless his heart, Connie thought, stared at Marie, his hoses, the instructors hoses, everyone else’s hoses, and then back to Marie, who was picking at her nails. Marie shrugged and gave a sheepish grimace, signing an apology and probably telling Steven that she wasn’t paying attention. 

Steven groaned and tried his best to put together his equipment based on what he _saw_ the instructor do, but he wasn’t having much luck. Connie wanted to help, but her set up was on the other side of the pool from him. Unfortunately, he was on his own for this one. No matter how mean it sounded, Connie was glad it was him messing up and not her. She would’ve been freaking out. Steven simply shrugged it off and began working.

Connie put her equipment together with only a few hiccups. Steven, on the other hand, had his regulators on the wrong side. Connie snickered as she saw the gears turning in his head, probably wondering ‘Why isn’t this hooking up right?’  before he finally realized and switched them around. She caught his attention from across the room and motioned like she was applauding. He blushed and gave an embarrassed bow. He soon tore his eyes away when he realized the instructor was talking again. 

Connie and Steven, with the help of Marie interpreting this time, finished setting up their gear and were instructed to jump in the water.

 

* * *

 

“Next we’re going to do a swimming test. Swim to the end of the pool and back five times. This is not a race, so swim at your own pace. Ready? Go!”

Everyone took off except for Steven. Marie, who was sitting on the edge of the pool with her feet dangling in the water, relayed the message to him and he quickly caught up with everyone else. Connie finished first, so she swam over and rested by Marie. Marie gave her a fist bump and grinned. The dive master looked impressed, but he didn’t say anything. The others meandered their way back a few minutes later, Steven being the third to last one. The instructor praised their work and explained the next task.

 

* * *

 

“Now, we’ll practice our hand signals. What’s this one?”

The instructor gave the classic ‘ok’ sign and Steven loudly blurted the answer. The rest of the class started snickering. Steven ducked his head and blushed. He stayed quiet the next few turns, and Connie decided that just wouldn't do. She swallowed her anxiety and yelled the next answer.

“OUT OF AIR!” The class laughed again. Steven sent an appreciative glance at Connie and grinned mischievously, catching her drift.

“Good, Connie. This one?”

“SOMETHING’S WRONG!” Steven shouted. The class was busting up.

“This?”

“WATCH ME!” Connie yelled.

“This?”

A third player jumped in. “BUDDY UP!”

A fourth. “KICK!”

A fifth. “SLOW DOWN!”

A sixth. “CHECK AIR!”

The dive master laughed.

“Cool, it seems you all have the hang of that. I appreciate the enthusiasm, too.” He checked his syllabus (plastic, of course) and ticked off the skills they had already practiced. 

“Now we need to do some skills underwater, like regulator recovery, mask clearing, mask removal, hovering, and sharing air. I’ll demonstrate each skill once we’re down there and you’ll copy me.” Sound good?”

Everyone nodded, except for Steven, who looked at Marie. She signed “He tell you down there,” and Steven nodded too. 

“Okay. Go get your gear on and meet me back here.”

Once everyone made it back, the dive instructor put his regulator in his mouth, gave the ‘going down’ signal, and descended into the pool. The others followed suit.

Once underwater, Connie wanted to immediately thank Steven for convincing her go diving. It was the coolest thing she’d ever experienced. She felt weightless and powerful, like she could do anything! Steven nudged her and pointed to the dive master, who was busy demonstrating something. All that happiness disappeared in an instant when she realized she had no idea what they were doing. Karma’s a witch. She was suddenly in Steven’s shoes earlier, and she did not like it at all. She panicked and signed to Steven.

“ _We do what?!”_

He gave the ‘slow down’ signal to placate her and led her to the wall where everyone was now lining up. He pointed to the students in front of them who were being tested. _“Watch.”_

Connie calmed herself down until it was her turn. It seemed like they were doing regulator recovery. She tried to perform the task, nearly choking on water when she realized that everyone was watching her. Judging her. She panicked and grabbed her secondary regulator instead of her primary one. The dive master shook his head, put her secondary regulator back in its spot, and handed her the main regulator. She gratefully grabbed it and took a shallow breath. Several shallow breaths, actually. She was having a panic attack. Great job, Connie, she thought. The dive master noticed her distress and motioned for Steven to come over. He tested Steven on the skill, and once he deemed it was acceptable, he had Steven demonstrate to Connie a few times. 

Finally calm, she took another deep breath and nodded, signaling that she was ready to try again. This time, she found her main regulator with little trouble.

 _“Good job!”_ Steven signed. The instructor applauded and Steven joined in. The instructor gave them both fist bumps and moved in front of the group to explain another skill.

 

* * *

 

Thankfully, the rest of the skills passed by relatively quickly and the duo was finally done with the pool work. They disassembled their gear and helped the dive shop workers carry stuff back to the truck. 

Steven, Connie, and Marie, now wrapped in fuzzy towels, went to the lobby to meet back up with Greg. To their surprise, they found that he wasn’t there anymore. 

 _“Dad. Where?”_ Steven signed, furrowing his eyebrows and looking around the lobby. Connie and Marie shrugged.

 _“Ask.”_ He tilted his head in the direction of the receptionist.

_“She might know.”_

_“No way!”_ Marie signed, keeping her signs simple so that Connie could understand. _“How she know? Not Greg Mom!”_

Steven rolled his eyes and turned to Connie. _“You?”_

_“Not me!”_

Steven huffed. _“Fine. I go.”_

“WAIT!” They yelled fruitlessly. Steven still didn’t have his hearing aids in because they were with his dad, so he either didn’t hear them, or chose to ignore their objections. Probably the latter, Connie supposed, because she knew he saw them yelling. What a turd, she thought. He stood in line and waited his turn to ask the lady. By the time Connie and Marie caught up to him, he was already talking. 

“Have you seen a man with a red cherry shirt and long brown hair around here?”

The lady frowned, deep in thought. “Actually, yes. I saw him heading towards the gym earlier.” She pointed to the left. Steven looked at the sign that she pointed to and asked again to clarify. 

“The gym?”

“Yup! Right over there. You might not want to disturb them though. They’re in the middle of a class-”

“Thank you!” He sped off to find his dad, until suddenly, he was being dragged back by the two girls. 

 _“Stop.”_ Connie signed. She looked at Marie to finish for her. Marie signed something and Steven tilted his head.

“Class?” He said out loud, showing Connie the sign. “What class?”

The girls shrugged, just as confused as he was.

 _“We W-A-I-T there?”_ Connie asked, pointing to the seating by the gym. Marie and Steven looked at each other and nodded. Nearly as soon as they took a seat, the gym doors opened, and out came 9 middle-aged women and a very sweaty Greg. Steven guffawed, burying his face in his arms on a nearby table to stifle his laughter. The girls looked at each other and had a similar reaction, albeit much less intense. Greg blushed and scratched his neck as the girls snickered.

“I may have accidentally gotten caught in a Zumba class…” He muttered. Marie interpreted Greg’s embarrassed explanation to Steven, who then laughed even harder.

_“How?!”_

Marie offered a spare towel to Greg, which he accepted gratefully. 

“Tell him I’ll explain later,” he muttered as he wiped off his sweat, a blush still very much present on his cheeks. The four walked out to the parking lot, with Steven teasing Greg vocally every chance he had. Connie swatted Steven on the arm. 

“Stop.” She signed. Her face was serious at first, but she cracked up when Steven started giggling.

“Sorry dad,” he said, rubbing his fist in a circle on his chest. “I know you can’t help that you’re a ladies man. You have the right to _exercise_ that privilege. Eh? Eh?” He said, elbowing his dad in his side.

Everyone minus Steven groaned. Connie flicked him on the back of the head, letting him know that he had one more time to smart off before she was calling his momma. He shut up but struggled to keep a straight face as they piled into the car. Today was a good day, Connie thought.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I did what Steven did once. I put on the hoses backwards and one of the workers just stared at me, waiting for me to figure it out. I felt so dumb. XD
> 
> \- I had problems with reg recovery (probably because my arms are too darn small to reach behind my tank tbh) so I had Connie struggle with it too, albeit a different way. Sorry, Connie. 
> 
> \- I tried to write the words as they'd be signed, but I'm not good at ASL grammar. Please correct me if I did the word order incorrectly.
> 
> \- Headcanon that Steven is a little shit when it comes to teasing his family with puns.
> 
> \- Next chapter is pizza time!


	4. Dives No 1 & 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Equalization- the act of forcing air into an open space to offset increasing hydrostatic pressure. This can be applied to such spaces as a dive mask or the diver's ears, and prevents what is known as a squeeze. (GoodDive.com)
> 
> Granny line- Also known as a Gerry Line. A line which goes from the stern platform or hang bar to the anchor line. (GoodDive.com) It's used to hold on to as you descend.
> 
> Enjoy!

It was finally the day for Connie and Steven to do their first real dives. To their delight, they found that the shipwreck dive they wanted to do was in a surprisingly shallow area. Therefore, it was a popular diving spot for new divers to get certified. The pair agreed unanimously on the site.

Mary was taking them this time. Steven and Connie asked about Greg, to which Mary explained that Greg was busy. He had to edit a song for a local band that had to be done by midnight for an early release. Greg saw their dejected faces and argued that he could come with them and work on the way, but Mary shut him down quickly, pointing out that he would be far too distracted if he tagged along to get any actual work done. Greg reluctantly agreed, knowing well that Mary wasn’t going to budge. He wished them luck as they headed out the door, fully equipped swimsuits and beach gear for the day to come.

The drive was short, and for that, Connie was grateful. Mrs. Universe kept sneaking glances at them through the rearview mirror and it was making her nervous. It wasn’t that Mrs. Universe was scary; She was just an intense person whose bad side Connie didn’t want to get on. Steven didn’t seem bothered by his mother’s knowing smile or Connie’s nervousness. He occupied their time by rambling about his predictions for the day. Connie’s stomach was in knots, but Steven’s optimism helped drown out her anxiety a little.

When they arrived at the boat, the dive master had Mary fill out some paperwork while they were waiting for the others to show up. Steven and Connie had already gotten fitted for a wetsuit and BCD the day before, so they didn’t have much to do while they waited. Connie ended up pointing out the different boats to Steven, who listened intently. 

“Wow! How do you know so much about boats?” He asked, amazed. Connie shrugged.

“I used to hang out at docks a lot when I was bored. I thought the boats were really cool, so I checked out a library book about them.” She left out the whole ‘I used to have zero friends before you and I was so lonely that I studied boats as not to go crazy from boredom’ part so she wouldn’t ruin the mood. Steven nodded, either not noticing her reluctance to explain, or ignoring it in favor of watching the other divers fumbling onto the deck. One guy almost fell in the water. The pair snickered. It seemed the others didn’t have their sea legs yet.  

Mary returned the finished paperwork and relaxed in her seat next to Connie and Steven, flashing them a big smile.

“Are you guys excited?” She asked with a twinkle in her eye.

“Uh, _yeah!_ ” Steven said. He bounced in his seat, oblivious to the stares he was receiving from the other divers. Connie sighed.

“Yeah, but I’m a little nervous,” She bit her lip and tried to ignore the the sudden attention Steven brought to them. Mary patted her on the shoulder, sensing her discomfort. She put her hand on Steven's thigh as a warning to simmer down.

“Don’t worry, you’ll do great. You’re a smart girl.”

“Yeah, you’ve got this, Connie!” Steven agreed with a grin.

“Thanks,” Connie breathed, “I hope so.”

The boat took off. Soon after, the dive master came over to brief the pair about where they were going, what they were doing, and how to step off the boat once they got there. It was mostly stuff they did in the pool, he reassured them. They would be doing two dives for that day. After they presented a few skills on each dive, they would be allowed to explore the shipwreck with the dive master. The last two dives were scheduled for the next day.

“Where’s your interpreter?” The dive master asked suddenly, noticing the lack of Marie.

“She couldn’t make it today,” Steven said, frowning.

“Ah, bummer. That’s okay though. We’ll be underwater for the most part anyway. Go ahead and get suited up. Then I’ll watch you put your equipment together.”

The pair nodded and got to work while Mary turned her attention to her FaceNook feed. Both Steven and Connie struggled to get into their wetsuits, wiggling and shimmying to pull them up. Connie got her arm elbow stuck in her sleeve and used her other hand to tap Steven’s shoulder and wiggle her ears at him.

“Pffft,” he laughed, noticing her sorry state, “How did you manage that?!” Connie glared at him.

“Honestly? I have no idea. Just help me.” Steven nodded and helped her free her arm.

“Okay, your turn. Help me now. I can’t pull this up all the way.” He motioned to his wetsuit, which was halfway on.

The two struggled to get his arms in and pull the suit up, but they managed. Steven did a little jumpy dance to loosen it up. Connie, being much smaller, got her wetsuit on with little trouble after the initial arm incident.

“I look like I’m pregnant,” Steven said, sticking his tongue out and poking his belly through the tight material.

“Is it a boy or a girl?” Connie teased.

“It’s a food baby. It has no gender.”

“Oh, I see, I see.” They kept a serious face until the dive master overheard the conversation, patted his stomach and joined in with, “That’s nothing! I’m expecting triplets here myself!” The three laughed while Mary rolled her eyes.

“Dad jokes aside, are you ready to put your stuff together? We’re almost there.”

“Yeah!” // “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Great,” He motioned to the air tanks, “They’re all yours.” Connie and Steven grabbed their bag of hoses and brought them over. Putting their equipment together was much easier this time, although Connie _did_ catch Steven peeking at her set up to double-check everything.

“Nicely done!” The dive master gave them each a fist-bump. The kids beamed at the praise. 

“I’m going to go observe the others, so you two go ahead and get your booties, fins, and mask on. You’ll be the first students in the water.” Connie froze.

“Wait, I’m not sure that’s such a good—”

 “Awesome!” Steven interrupted.

“Steven!” Connie hissed, “We don’t know what we’re doing!”

“Neither does anyone else.” He motioned to the guy with his snorkel on upside-down.

“Regardless, I don’t want to look like a—”

“Cooonnnnieeee,” Steven grabbed her hands and swung them back and forth as he sang off-key, “You’re gonna be fiiiiiiine.”

Before Connie could protest again, the Mr. Gunner returned with some weights. 

“Let me put these in your BCD so you don’t have to wear a weight belt. It’s much easier this way,” he winked. He opened up a pocket near the bottom of their BCDs and put in a few weights.

“I think I got you two pegged right, but if you need more or less weight, we can flag Brenda over here to help us adjust.” He pointed to a lady sitting on the ladder. She smiled at them and waved. 

“She’ll help keep you steady as you step off, too. My buddy Jason, right next to her, will jump in first, then you two will go. He and Kyle are the dive masters for the other students. It turns out I’m only stuck with you two for today,” he teased. “I’m gonna help the other students get situated before I join you in the water. Sound okay?”

Steven held up the ‘ok’ signal and so did Connie, albeit reluctantly. Mr. Gunner ruffled their hair and got up to help the others. Steven pulled out a brush and a hair tie and wrangled his hair into a ponytail. He handed Connie a hair tie and she did the same. 

“Alright kids, you almost ready?” Brenda called from across the boat. 

“What’d she say?” Steven asked.

“She wants to know if we’re ready to go.”

“Oh! Yeah, one second!” He rustled through his beach bag and pulled out a container. He took out his hearing aids and put them inside, firmly locking it shut. Then, he put the container into a ziplock bag. And then another ziplock bag. And then wrapped the whole thing in a towel. Noticing Connie’s puzzled look, he shrugged abashedly. 

“I have _super_ bad luck when it comes to getting them wet. That’s why I’m taking ultimate precaution. Ain’t no water gonna get through there, honey,” He said in a silly voice. Connie giggled. 

“Kids! Are you ready or what?” Brenda called.

“Yes ma’am! Connie yelled back. She tugged Steven in her direction.

“Oh, we’re going now?” Connie pushed him in front. “You’re making me go first?” She nodded. He took one look at the water and took a step backward.

“Please. Ladies first.” Connie rolled her eyes and wiggled his nose.

“Right, right. Okay.” He stepped onto the ledge. 

“Hold your mask, put your reg in your mouth, and take that giant stride in,” Brenda instructed. Steven looked at Connie and made a silly, but confused face. 

  “He can’t hear you ma’am. Just show him, please.”

“Gotcha.” She motioned to each of the pieces of equipment he needed to keep steady and mimed taking a step into the water. Steven nodded.

“Okay,” he said, hyping himself up. “I’m going. Here I go. Right now. Riiight now.” Connie resisted the urge to push him in. He took a deep breath, held his mask and reg, and finally jumped in. Once he resurfaced, Connie clapped. He grinned.

“YOUR TURN!” He yelled. Connie took her place on the ledge where Steven just was and had her own mini-freak out. She knew logically, that she wasn't that high up, but the jump combined with the shifting waves below made her feel nauseous. Steven noticed her furrowed brows under her mask and laughed.

“NOT SO EASY, IS IT?” He yelled. Connie didn’t know how to sign ‘shut up,’ so she settled for glaring and pretending to zip her lips closed. Steven snickered. He decided he’d better not push his luck and tease her anymore. Encouragement would have to do. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled again.

“Come on, you've got this! I’m right here!” 

Connie took a deep breath and listened to Brenda repeat the instructions. One giant leap later, and she was in the water too. 

“Woohoo!” Steven hollered. 

“YEAH!” Connie yelled and wiggled, just as excited. “That was awesome!” Steven broke her out of her victory dance (swim?) and pointed to Jason, who was already up ahead by the granny line. 

‘ _Swim_.’ Connie held up the ‘ok’ signal and kicked off.

The pair made their way though the choppy waters to the front of the boat and met up with Jason. They had to wait a few minutes for everyone else to jump in and join them. Mr. Gunner eventually made it to their side and gave the ‘going down’ signal.

Little by little, the kids and Mr. Gunner lead the group down the granny line, pausing on occasion when someone needed to equalize. That someone was usually Connie. Since her body was half made of light, it didn’t exactly know how to react to the rising water pressure. A sharp needle-prick pain would flash hot in her ears. She’d signal that something was wrong, point to her ear, go back up a little to relieve some pressure, signal ok, go back down a little, rinse and repeat. The process was extremely tedious. Steven noticed her rising frustration and gently squeezed her hand to remind her to relax. He then tapped his finger on her nose as an extra reassurance, just in case she was still nervous. Connie exhaled deeply and a stream of bubbles erupted from her regulator, climbing higher and higher until she could no longer see them. She held up an ‘ok’ once the pain subsided and the group descended slowly once again until they reached the bottom.

Connie had been focusing so much on her decent that she didn’t realize the schools of fish and clusters of coral around her until they stopped. She took in the view, amazed, and pointed anything and everything to Steven. She could tell he was smiling behind his regulator so she kept it up. _Look,_ she pointed. Starfish! Crab! Coral! Weird fish!

Ship!

The ship!

Woah.

It was huge! Steven looked just as amazed as she felt. She spent a good 30 seconds gawking and theorizing about how it sank until she felt Steven tugging on her arm. She was annoyed at first, but dropped the attitude once she noticed that the group was heading off in another direction. She and Steven swam side by side to catch up. Mr. Gunner had them pause in a clear area while the rest of the students went with the other dive masters. He pulled out the syllabus and Connie’s heart dropped. 

It was time for the test.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Kind of referenced the pickle juice incident in Citrusella's omake. Steven has bad luck with liquid and hearing aids. xD
> 
> \- Probably going to go back and edit this later. Lots of sentences need revision imo but I don't have time right this second.
> 
> \- Thanks for reading!


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